Why the Term “PR Storytelling” is Bad Public Relations

Is it just us, or does the term “PR Storyteller” evoke negative connotations about the industry?

Don’t get us wrong - PR is about telling your story.  But for an industry that can be associated with “spin control” or sometimes (wrongfully so for the most part) for not telling the truth, being called a “Storyteller” doesn’t seem like the best term to use.  “Fibber” and “teller of tall tales” are just a couple of the images that come to mind with the term “PR Storyteller.”

How you name your company, product or service is an important part of PR.  It seems like the PR industry could use a better term than “PR Storyteller” - one that doesn’t evoke negative images.  PR is about telling your story, to the media and your audiences, in a newsworthy way.  If your story resonates with the media, it will resonate with the public as well.

Use PR to help tell your story.  Not to be a storyteller.